Style Debate: How many pairs of shoes is too many?

May 3, 2011 By Joe| Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here's why.

Guys & Shoes – How many do you own?

Absolutely there’s a double standard. The perception is that most women have a closet overflowing with shoes, while their husbands and boyfriends operate off three, maybe four pairs. Most men who don’t wear a suit to work every day seem to own a couple pairs of running shoes, a pair of hiking or work boots, and their dress shoes which are almost always a pair of black lace ups.

"Do you care how it tastes?" "Do you care if you're tipped?"

Own any more and your lite beer drinkin’ pals will predictably give you sh*t about turning into Carrie from Sex and the City. To which you’d reply: “which one is Carrie?” and thus, they’re now busted for knowing the characters. Back they’d go to sheepishly sucking down their lower calorie beer, ordered only because the ad campaign told them to “man up.”

Men are supposed to be practical, (that’s not to say women aren’t) and owning more than 20 pairs of shoes doesn’t really ooze of practicality. But does it matter? And if so, how many is too many?

If you’d like, answer the poll and perhaps we’ll begin to see some kind of average. For the sake of argument, work horses like running shoes/gym shoes/work boots & pure hikers shouldn’t count. Don’t forget to hit the comments section under the poll to elaborate on your own collection, and give your take on how many is too many..

Comments

I easily have 13+ pairs of shoes. Even that doesn’t seem like enough sometimes, as I have a lack of shoes that look good sockless with shorts. As long as you’re being responsible with your money, I think 13+ is ok. When you get into the 20+ range, I think it’s time to donate some of your lesser worn shoes so that others can enjoy them.

This is a really great article that touches on an important side effect of being a well-dressed man: Having your masculinity called into question because you’re into style and clothes/shoes. As if it’s manly to look like an unkempt slob. You may take it in good humor and even respond with some good-natured trash talking, but it can sting when you’re in front of a group of friends, coworkers, or a significant other.

I suggest doing something really dangerous in your spare time, like fighting t-rexes in fighter jets or mountain climbing while dodging lightning bolts.

13+ …i worked on advertising for Nike, and my vendors were constantly taking me for nikeIDs …so endless amounts of sneakers fell in my lap. I used the first couple as gym sneakers, but then I started making more stylish sneakers, that counts for like 10 pairs of shoes in its own right. I have maybe 6 pairs of dress shoes

I am a shoe whore. What can I say? I’ve made plenty of bad decisions and I’m working on fixing that. Gonna take some time to get the “right” kinds of shoes, but it’s all about the journey anyways. Thanks Joe for having an incredible site. Love. It!

I’m a fan of the “unattached man” yet I love to look well put together. For me it’s a fun challenge to see how flexible my wardrobe can be yet still rely on a minimal amount of stuff. The right pair of brown lace-ups can work effortlessly with jeans, khakis or a suit.

The question can’t be answered in its current form, because it depends on the respondent’s state in life. A man should have just as many pairs of shoes as he actually needs: one that will do what needs to be done in each situation in which he reasonably expects to find himself. For some men that might mean three pairs of work boots and one pair of dress shoes. Others, who wear suits daily, will obviously need a different array. Men with numerous outdoor hobbies will need more shoes than men without.

Yup….many more than 18. I started turning towards better shoes a little bit ago; but, kept my other shoes in order to wear casually or in bad weather. Aside from being financially responsible, one should use the same criteria with shoes as with other pieces of clothing: if you haven’t worn a pair of shoes in the past year (with the possible exception of formal shoes to be worn with a tuxedo), then that probably isn’t a pair of shoes you should have.

I wanted to vote, but I’m in the 13+ category. I dont think there is a certain number that is too much, so long as they are all being used. I know a guy, a true sneaker head, who has over 200 pairs. He wears a different pair evey day. Besides, you never know. God forbid there is a nuclear holocaust and shoes become the new form of currency.

Owning more than 5 pairs of shoes is no longer unusual as a sneaker fiend I own about 25 pairs of sneakers, and several assorted boots and dress shoes. I admit that if someone told me they owned 10 pairs of dress shoes, I’d find that a bit strange tho :-p

true, but i think the question really is more of a “how many shoes do you own just for style?” type thing. I’ve never hear of someone being made fun by his buddies for owning work boots/running shoes/hiking boots and whatnot (if he actually uses them). Same with the guy who owns 4 pairs of dress shoes because he wears suits every day. I interpreted the question as “how many pairs of superfluous shoes do you own for the sake of style?”.

I try to streamline my shoe wardrobe – one pair of shoes for each function. Of course, my idea of “functional” categories is rather narrower than a lot of people’s. (I don’t just have one pair of “dress shoes.” I have a pair of black dress shoes, a pair of brown dress shoes, a pair of semi-casual dress shoes….)

It doesn’t help that I’m also an avid outdoorsman, so I’ve got a full complement of technical footwear as well, ranging from my beloved Vibram FFs for running to my knee-high insulated pac boots for snowshoeing and winter hiking.

I don’t like being materialist, but I can’t imagine getting rid of any of the shoes I currently own. I’ve got about twelve pair total. Every one of them serves a purpose. Every one of them is both used and properly cared-for and maintained. I might not win any awards for manly minimalism, but I’m not embarrassed to have as many shoes as I do.

I have probably a dozen pairs of just dress shoes, but I wear a tie 5-6 days a week so I feel that I definitely get plenty of use out of them. Overall I’m looking at somewhere around 25-30 pairs. I get plenty of crap for it, but there are plenty of compliments as well.

As several of the previous posters have mentioned, there are different shoes for different occasions. I feel safe in knowing I’ll always have the proper footwear, whether for a formal event, beach wedding, date at a nice restaurant, etc.

I actually have a pair of Sperrys that get pretty good wear time during the summer. But that and a pair of penny loafers are the only two decent sockless-n-shorts shoes I have. I guess I consider 2 pairs as “lacking”…

When I began dating this girl, I had three pairs of shoes. Old-man tennis shoes, black dress shoes and brown dress shoes. That girl constantly harped on me to expand my collection of hip shoes. Today, after marrying that girl, I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 38 pairs. Even she thinks I have too many…

I’ll have to lean more towards Imelda.. I own upwards of 200+ pairs of shoes. A large number are sneakers, a lot of collectibles (which I consider more as art and have appreciated in value), and maybe 30 +/- of dress shoes, boots, and loafers. I think this is a reflection that it is acceptable for men in this day and age to take more time (and money) to pamper and care of themselves. I may lean more towards the extreme, but do what makes you happy and feel good, as long as you don’t go broke over it.

There is no such thing! They say if you want to know if a man is well-dressed, all you have to do is look down(his shoes) All men that keep up with this blog are presumably well-dressed men, Therefore I expect every man on here to have over 5 pair.

I have 20 pair of Allen Edmonds. Some over 10 years old. They still look like new. I take good care of them and they just last and last. I am always looking for good classic shoes for my shoe wardrobe. With several pairs of shoes you don’t wear them as frequently, prolonging the shoe’s lifespan. Some, I have duplicates. Because they are just right for me. Your shoes like your wardrobe should be onetime,lifetime investments.

I have hiking boots, two pairs of soccer shoes, a pair of water sandals, winter (i.e. snow shoveling) boots, two pairs of running shoes, cycling shoes, etc. that I would view as “utility.” If I removed those shoes and just focued on the “style” shoes, I’m in the 8-12 range.

I’m actually moving towards the near 30 mark and I’m not ashamed… Although it seems everytime I get a new pair that I feel brings it to completion theres always some new must have item. Oh and checking this website on a daily basis isn’t helping. lol

See, I could have easily reached the 200 mark, but I rid of ones that are really worn and not exactly my favorites… but I’m over the 50 mark and I’m about to start clearing again… I hope good will shoppers are grateful lol

I’ve been working retail since I was 16 years old, and you’d have to fight me to get into a pair of “REGULATION” dress shoes lol… now at 32, I own over 50 pair of shoes, sneakers, sandals, and do my 2 pair of slippers and 2 pair of clogs, and 1 pair of crocks count? majority of my dress shoes are low ankle boots, and plain slip ons, 5 pair of Jordans, 7pair of adidas, and several other nikes lol… I developed a thing for the low ankle boots, because they just went with everything, including kaki shorts…. I have 6 of the same pair with a zipper, 5 black chelsea, 7 more of that same chelsea in brown and a grey pair…. I had a new roommate move in last summer and he looked in my closet and immediately assumed I was a “FUNNY DUDE”…. but working retail, I get that a lot…. Maybe if I work for the US mint, I’ll stop buying clothing and shoes and start buying sheets of cash